MILWAUKEE – Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Ben Sheets will miss four to six weeks after an ultrasound Monday revealed a partial tear of the tissue surrounding the tendon in his right middle finger.

Sheets left his start Saturday night in the fourth inning after he felt something pop while throwing a 3-2 pitch that Colorado’s Todd Helton fouled off. The Brewers placed him on the 15-day disabled list on Monday and called up pitcher Grant Balfour to take his place.

Brewers officials said Sheets will rest for 10 to 14 days and then begin to throw with a splint.

“What we’re going to do is we’re going to rest him for a couple of days and see if his finger feels better and then we’ll start him on a rehab program,” said Brewers manager Ned Yost. “How long we’re going to rest him depends on how long it takes for the finger to feel a little better.”

How much time Sheets misses will depend on how fast he heals, Brewers assistant general manager Gord Ash said.

“That could be four to six weeks, total,” Ash said. “He’s been through a number of these injury situations, so he’s as good at rehab as anyone. But there’s not enough history here to tell you how long this is going to take is week by week.”

Sheets made the National League All-Star team and is 10-4 with a 3.39 earned run average.

Rookie Yovani Gallardo pitched 4 2-3 innings and gave up only one hit when he replaced Sheets in the Brewers’ 2-1, 10-inning victory Saturday and will take Sheets’ spot in the five-man rotation. Gallardo is 1-1 with a 2.83 ERA.

A service of the Associated Press(AP)